Needle-threading machine.



PATENTED DEG.3 1, 1907.

H. E. NOON. NEEDLE THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1907- 5SHEBT$SHEET 1.

N J Z IIIIlIi m an whine/was PATENTED DEC. 31; 1907.

H. E. NOON.

NEEDLE THREADING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rn: NORRIS PETERS ca, wnsmucmn, n. c.

PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

H. E. NOON.

NEEDLE THREADING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 3, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

rs: NcRRlS PETERS 00.. wnsnmm'on, 0.1:

No. 875,282. PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907- H. E. NOON. NEEDLE THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED'JAN. 3, 1907- 5 SHEE TSSHEET 5.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEFTCE.

HERBERT EDWIN NOON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

NEEDLE-THREADING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed January 3.1907. erial No. 350,618.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT EDWIN NOON, a citizen of the United States,'residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Needle-Threading Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In the manufacture of needles it has long been common to employ eye-polishing machines in which threads covered with a suitable abrading material were drawn repeatedly through the needle-eyes to give them the necessary degree of smoothness and to remove any burs orsharp corners liable to injure the thread, especially in sewing machine needles through which portions of the sewing thread are continually reeved in the stitching operation. Such eye-polishing machines are commonly constructed with a rectangular carrying-frame having a series of parallel threads stretched lengthwise of the same, and each thread strung with a series of needles, the needles of the several threads being arranged in transverse rows at one end of the said frame and maintained in the required relation by means of interposed separator-plates arranged crosswise of the polishing-threads.

Mounted in the polishing machine and intermediate the ends of the frame above described is a needle-clamp with means for rocking and reciprocating the same in a direction substantially parallel with the polishing threads, the transverse rows of needles strung upon their respective threads being secured successively in said clamp and moved thereby to and fro in performing the polishing operation and finally deposited at the opposite end of the carrying-frame for ultimate removal.

I-Ieretofore, it has been customary to string and space the needles upon their re spective threads by hand preparatory to their reception in the frame of the eye-polishing machine, which was a long and tedious operation, severely taxing the eye-sight of the operator.

The present improvement is designed to obviate this difficulty by performing such operations with automatic means.

To this end, the present invention consists, in its preferred form, in a needle-hopper with means for feeding needles therefrom singly and depositing them between the convolutions of a pair of parallel feedscrews. An eyed threading implement carrying the polishing-thread is disposed upon a suitable anvil in the path of movement of the eyed portion of the needle and maintained thereon by pairs of alternately acting clamping jaws adapted to permit the movement of the needles beneath the same without interference in the normal action of the machine. Means are provided for lengthwise gaging the position of the needleeyes and axially centering them in alinement with the threading-implement preparatory to their engagement by the latter. Means are also provided for removably securing the polishing-thread upon the threading machine parallel with the feed-screws, the individual polishing-threads being led successively from their respective spools mounted upon the temporarily detached carryingframe of the polishing machine.

The improvement will be more fully understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a needlethreading machine constructed in accordance with' the present invention, Fig. 1 is a detail view of the mechanism for controlling the needle-feeding drum beneath the hopper and Fig. 1 a similar view of the guard-member 87. Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine. Fig. .3 is a transverse sectional view of the machine at the right of and looking toward the hopper. Fig. 4. is a transverse section of the hopper and adjacent portions of the machine, Fig. 5 a sectional elevation of the needle-feeding drum and connected parts,

\ and Fig. 5 a detached sectional elevation of the feeding-drum with the needle-guard and stripper. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the members for locating and threading the eyes of the needles, and Fig. 7 a sec tional elevation to illustrate the action of the needle-eye locating jaws. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detached elevational views representing the threadingdmplement and its holding means in three stages of operation. Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are transverse sectional views representing respectively the cams upon the main-shaft for actuating the two threadingimplement holding aws and the needle-eye locating membersv Fig. 14 is a detached view representing an open-eyed threadingimplement. Figs. 3 to 14 inclusive are upon a larger scale than the preceding figures.

As herein represented, the machine is constructed with the base-plate 1 and standards 2 in which are journaled the opposite ends of the main-shaft 3 and the parallel feed-screws 4 and 5, which are connected to rotate in unison therewith by means of the gear wheels 6 thereon meshing with the intermediate 7 which in turn meshes with the gearwheel 8 upon the main-shaft. As represented in Fig. 4, the threads of the feed.- screws at the ends adjacent the hopper 9 are more widely spaced than those of the remainder of said screws, in order to insure the reception of the needles intermediate such threads when discharged by the feed-drum beneath the hopper.

The hopper 9 is of the usual form, rectangular in horizontal cross-section and con tracted at the lower end, and provided with vertical slots 10 to accommodate the bearingrods 11 and 12 carried by a head 13 of a pressure-member having a shank 14 mounted in a vertical hollow post 15 upon the bed-plate 1, the shank 14 being connected at its lower end with a weight W by means of which the needles are pressed with a uniform pressure downwardly within the hopper for delivery to the feed-drum. 'The rod 11 is designed to engage the shanks of the needles n to maintain their arallelism as well as to press them downward y upon the feeding-drum, while the rod 12 serves merely tosteady the blades of the needles near the points.

J ournaled in rigid bearings beneath the hopper 9 is an endwise-movable rotary shaft 16 carrying the fixed worm-wheel 17 meshing with the worm 18 carried by the feed-screw 5, and having mounted loosely thereon the needle feeding-drum 19 formed with a series of peripheral longitudinal needle-receiving notches or recesses 1.9 and provided intermediate its ends with an annular groove 20 somewhat deeper than said notches or recesses to receive the pointed extremity of a stripper-plate 21 adapted to eject the needles from said receiving notches for delivery to the feed-screw and also serving to prevent the endwise movement of the drum 19 with its carrying shaft 16. The shaft 16 and its worm-wheel 17 are surrounded by a rigid guard 22 adjacent the feeding-drum 19, and a shield-plate 23 is secured to the lower por tion of the hopper to embrace the delivery side of the feeding-drum to retain the needles in the receiving notches inthe latter between the point of discharge and the hopper.

The feeding-drum 1.9 carries a longitudinally projecting-pin 24 adapted for engagement by a clutch-spin 25 carried by the shaft 16, but normally maintained out of engageto shift the shaft 16 endwise to engage the.

clutch-pins 24 and 25 and thus effect the intermittent rotation of the feeding-drum 19. The cam-wheel 27 is provided with peripheral ratchet-teeth which are engaged by the upper end. of the pawl lever 29, loosely connected by a screw 30 to the forward end of a rock-lever 31 fulcrumed. at 32 upon a rigid bracket 33 and having its opposite end disposed in engagement with a cam 34 mounted upon the main-shaft 3. A spring 35 serves to maintain the pawl 29 in yielding operative relation with the toothed periphery of the cam-wheel 27, and a similar-spring 36 yieldingly maintains the forward end of the rocklever 31 depressed to hold the rearward end in contact relation with the actuating-cam 34. A holding-pawl 37 is also provided to engage the teeth of the cam-wheel 27, the same being pivoted at 38 upon a bracket 39 and yieldingly held in operative relation with said cam-wheel by means of a'spring 40.

The needles having been delivered from the hopper to the feed-screws, are carried by the latter in spaced relation to-the threadin implement 41, which comprises a thin-blade sufl iciently small to pass throu h the eyes of the needle to be threaded an provided in one end with an eye 42 in which is introduced the end of the polishing-thread t; This threadingdmplement rests upon the fixed spaced jaws 43 and 44 of the anvil, being maintained in operative position thereon by means of the movable jaws 45 and 46 of a pair of alternately actuated clamping levers 47 and 48, pivotally mounted upon a bracket 49 by means of a common fulcrum-pin 50. Each of these clamping levers is provided at the end opposite its clamping-j aw with a lateral perforated and threaded ear 51 entered by a socket-screw 52 carrying a lock-nut 53 and formed in its lower end with a socket entered by the upper end of a thrust-rod 54 whose lower end enters a similar socket in one end of a rock-lever 55 fulcrumed by means of the screw 56 and having its opposite end resting upon one of the actuatingcams 57 and 58 upon the main-shaft 3. A spring 59 intermediate the bed-plate 1 and each of the clamping-levers 47 and 48 serves to maintain the rock-levers 55 in operative relation with their respective actuatingcams.

The eyes of the needles are successively turned into alinement with the threadingimplement 41 by means of the reciprocally moving parallel jaws 60 and 61 carried by the vibrating levers 62 and 63 fulcrumed by means of screws 64 and 65 upon the common rocking-frame 66 and provided with angularly disposed arms 67 and 68 projecting from opposite sides of the respective fulcra each of which is connected to its respective end of a pair of links 69, whose opposite ends are connected by a common pivotal pin 70 with a forked block 71 carried by the upright arm 72 of an angle-lever fulcrumed by means of a stud-screw 7 8 upon the frame of the machine and having a bent lateral arm 74 resting in engagement with the under side of an actuating-cam 75 upon the main-shaft 3. The arm 72 of said angle-lever is pressed backwardly to open the jaws 60 and 61 and maintain the arm 74 in contact relation with the actuating-cam 75 by means of a spring 76 interposed between said upright arm of the lever and the bottom of a socket 77 formed in the rearward edge of the bed-plate 1. The rocking-frame 66 is pivotally mounted upon the conical center screws 7 8 disposed in substantial alinement with the pivotal connection between the lever-arms 67 and 68 and their respective links 69, and such frame is yieldingly maintained by means of a spring 79 in contact with an adjustable stopscrew 80 carried by a projecting ear 81 of a bracket 82 carrying the rocking-frame 66.

A continuous guard-rail 83 is disposed intermediate the standards 2 at the rear of the feed-screw 5 toreceive and guide the extremities of the needleshanks, which are maintained yieldingly in contact therewith by the frictional contact of the needle-blades and shanks with their respective feed-screws, as represented in Fig. 3. In the threading operation, the shanks of the needles are maintained within their respective grooves in the feed-screws by means of the fixed guard 84, and the blades of the needles are similarly confined within their respective grooves of the feed-screw 4 by means of the,

fixed guardanember 85 carried bythe bracketarm 86. The threaded needles are similarly retained in operative relation with their carrying feed-screws by means of a horizontally disposed guard-member 87 with depending lip 88 engaging the middle portions of the needles, and having pivotal connections 87 with bearing-plates 87 carried by standards 87 rising from the bed-plate 1. Rigid horizontal arms 89 are secured to the guard-member 87 having downturned extremities 89 as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2, encircled by springs 89 interposed between the connecting bar 90 and the needle-blade, and thus serving to press the lip 88 downwardly toward the needle-blades.

Stop-screws 91 are provided upon the guardmember 87 adapted to contact with the stopplates 92 carried by the standards 87 to determine the normal position of the guard-lip 88 in respect of the needles and prevent the bending of the same, the stopsc1ew 91 being provided with a lock-nut 91 for maintaining the same in the desired position of admit of this slight lateral movement.

justment. The member 90 is provided with an eye 9O from which depends a cord 90 by which the guard-member 87 may be tilted upon its fulcrum points for release of the needles for their removal from the machine.

The opposite end of the threaded portion of the polishing-thread from that entering the eye of the threading-implement is passed under the outer end of the spring nippingfinger 93 in contact with the spacing-stud 94 whereby the parallelism of said thread with the guard-rail 83 is insured.

While any suitable or usual means may be employed for actuating the machine, themain-shaft 3 is herein represented as pro vided with a 1niter-gear 95 meshing with a similar gear 96 upon a transverse shaft 97 mounted in suitable bearings, one of which is shown at 98, and provided with fast and loose pulleys 99 and 100 adapted to receive and transmit power from a suitable driving-belt.

' In the operation of the machine, the mainshaft is driven by power transmitted through the fixed pulley 99 and the feed-screws 4 and 5 are similarly driven continuously through the connecting gearing 6, 7, 8. The camwheel 27 thus receives a step-by-step motion and the feeding-drum shaft 16 rotates idly until engaged by the cam-portion 28 to bring the clutch-pins 24 and 25 into operative engagement, when the needle-feeding drum 19 is caused to slowly rotate, whereby a series of needles is carried in its several peripheral notches and deposited one by one in the grooves of the feed-screws 4 and 5, the needlereceiving notches in. the drum being spaced to correspond with the pitch of the adjacent portions of the feed-screws. As the needles are carried forwardly toward the adjacent end of the threading-member 41, their blades are successively engaged by the diversely beveled extremities of the turning-jaws 60 and 61 (Fig. 6), which receive through the actuating-cam 75 reciprocal movements upon opposite sides of the needle, tending to roll the latter between them. The needle continues to turn until the first of one of such jaws encounters the grooved or flattened side of the needle-blade, as represented in Fig. 7, when the rolling motion is arrested, the eye being thus located in alinement with the threading-implement, and the needle being disposed in the relation to the threading-implement represented in Fig. 8. During this engagement of the turning-jaws, the rockingframe 66 is permitted to yield slightly to enable thelevers 62 and 63 to follow the advancing movement of the needle, the connections between the arm 67 and 68 and their respective links 69 being sufiiciently loose to per- After having engaged the needle suflioiently to produce a semi-rotation thereof, the turningjaws are caused to open under the actionof the cam 75 and the spring 76, and their disengagement from the needle thus permits them to return to initial position under the action of the spring 79.

The continued movement of the needle now causes its eye to pass over the adjacent end of the threading-implement 41, and beneath the retracted clamping-jaw 45, thus slightly springing the threading-implement 41 as represented in Fig. 9, the advance of the needle to the dotted-line position in said figure permitting the implement 41 to return to initial position and the jaw 45 to reassume its operative clamping position thereon. As the needle continues to advance, the clamping-jaw 46 rises and the needle passes between the same and the stationary jaw 44 of the anvil, again deflecting the opposite end of the threading-implement, and the continued motion of the needle to dotted-line position in Fig. 10 enables the threading-implement to return to initial position and permits the jaw 46 to reassume its operative engagement with the implement 41.

The feeding drum continues to deliver needles singly to the feed-screws, which latter maintain the same in spaced relation while transporting them longitudinally toward the opposite end of the machine until the cam-portion 28 of the cam-wheel 27 permits the unclutching of the needle-feeding drum 19 from its actuating-shaft 16, when the delivery of needles temporarily ceases to permit the previously threaded-needles to be fed slightly beyond the threading portion of the machine for final removal, preparatory to the insertion of the succeeding polishingthread in the subsequent threading-opera tion. At this time the power-transmitting belt may be shifted from the fast-pulley 99 to the loose-pulley 100 and the machine temporarily stopped by the employment of beltshifting devices of any suitable or wellknown kind. When the machine is again started the several parts continue to move idly until the cam-portion 28 again engages the end of the feeding-drum shaft 16, when the feedingdrum is again caused to rotate to deliver needles to the feed-screws and the threading operation is repeated.

The several threads of the polishing machine frame having thus been provided with similarly spaced needles, they are stretched in parallel lines across the frame, the usual notched spacing plates interposed between the transverse rows of needles thus formed, the spacing-plates clamped together, and the carrying-frame placed in the polishing-machine for operation as previously described.

While I have found it usually desirable to provide the threading-implement 41 with a closed eye 42 to receive the polishing-thread,

it is evident that in certain cases the thread ing-implement may be formed with a slit 42 leading into the eye 42, as represented in Fig. 14; but inasmuch as the threading-implei ment must in any case be made very slender in order to carry its thread through the eye of the needle, it is evident that ordinarily the same should be made with a closed eye in order to secure the requisite strength.

The carrier for conveying the eyed and grooved or flattened needles from the feeding-drum 19 to and beyond the threadingimplement 41 may obviously be of any usual or approved kind, such as an apron mounted upon a pair of rotary supporting drums, but I prefer to employ the parallel supporting feed-screws as represented herein, not only because of the convenience thus secured in the propulsion and maintenance of the spacing of the needles, but because of their frictional action lengthwise of the needles in yieldingly maintaining the ends of their shanks in contact with the guide member 83 whereby their eyed portions are positioned in respect of the threading-implement.

Although the present improvement is represented herein as designed for threading eye-pointed and grooved sewing machine needles, it is to be understood that its use'is not limited to this class of needles, and that the turning-jaws for alining the needle-eyes with the threading-implement are adapted for successful operation upon all classes of needles in which the parts engaged thereby are other than round, so that they will cease to roll between the spring-jaws by which they are engaged as soon as-the latter encounter a portion of reduced thickness, when they are caused to slide in contact with said jaws.

What I claim is 1. In a needle -threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and an intermittingly acting multi-j awed holder therefor, of means whereby eyed needles may be presented to and threaded upon said threading implement.

2. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for presenting a plurality of eyed needles in succession to the same and imparting a relative movement between the needles and said implement lengthwise of and in excess of the length of the latter.

3. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for presenting a plurality of eyed needles in succession to the same and imparting a relative movement between said needles and threading implement in a direction lengthwise of and of greater length than the latter, and means for turning said needles to bring their eyes in alinement with the threading implement.

4. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and alternately operative holding jaws at opposite ends thereof, of a needle-carrier adapted to carry a succession of eyed needles over said threading implement and intermediate its holding jaws.

5. In a needle threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and alternately operative holding jaws at opposite ends thereof, of a pair of feed-screws disposed parallel with and adjacent to said threading implement, and adapted to carry a succession of eyed needles over said threading implement and intermediate its holding jaws.

6. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, and means for delivering said needles to the needle-carrier in parallel spaced relation.

7. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, and means for rotating said drum.

8. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, a needle hopper arranged above said needlefeeding drum andhaving its bottom closed by the latter, and means for rotating said drum.

9. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, a needle hopper arranged above said needle feeding-drum and having its bottom closed by the latter, a stationary shield-plate embracing said drum and adapted to close its needle-receiving grooves or recesses upon one side intermediate said hopper and the point of delivery of the needles to the needle-carrier, and means for rotating said drum.

10. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, a needle hopper arranged above said needlefeeding drum and having its bottom closed by the latter,a stationary shield-plate embracing said drum and adapted to close its needle-receiving grooves or recesses upon oneceiving grooves or recesses, said drum being disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle carrier, a needle hopper arranged above said needle-feeding drum and having its bottom closed by the latter, a stationary shield-plate embracing said drum and adapt ed to close its needle-receiving grooves or recesses upon one side intermediate said hop per and the point of delivery of the needles to the needlecarrier, a stripping member lying within the transverse annular groove in said drum for insuring the delivery of the needles to the needle-carrier in a fixed position, and means for rotating said drum.

12. In a needlethreading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, means for rotating said drum, and means for interrupting the rotation of said drum While the needle-carrier continues its operation.

13. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, means including a clutch-device for operating said drum, and a continuously operative controlling member whereby the operative members of said clutch-device are brought alternately into operative and inoperative relation.

14. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for presenting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier,

senting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-rece1ving grooves or recesses and disposed transversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, an endwise movable shaft upon which said drum is loosely mounted, means for continuously rotating said shaft, interengaging clutch-members respectively carried by said shaft and said drum, a cam-wheel adjacent said shaft and having a continuous step-bystep rotary movement, and provided with a ca1n-member whereby said shaft \is shifted endwise to control the relation of said clutchmembers.

16. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of a needle-carrier for pre senting a series of eyed needles to said threading implement, a rotary needle-feeding drum having a series of longitudinal needle-receiving grooves or recesses and disposedtransversely of and adjacent said needle-carrier, an endwise movable shaft, upon which said. drum is loosely mounted, means for continuously rotating said shaft, interengaging clutch-members respectively carried by said shaft and said drum, a cam-wheel adjacent said shaft and having a continuous step-bystep rotary movement, and provided upon one face with an annular cam-member adapted for engagement with one end of said shaft, and means for yieldingly maintaining the adj acent end of said shaft in operative relation with said camwheel.

17. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread carrying threading implement, of an anvil for supporting the same, and a pair of clamping-levers adapted to engage opposite ends of said implement to clamp the same upon said anvil, a pair of actuating levers, rotary cams for alternately rocking said actuating-levers, operative connections intermediate the respective operating levers, and means for presenting needles to said threading implement.

18. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of an anvil for supporting the same, and a pair of clamping-levers adapted to engage opposite ends of said implement to clamp the same upon said anvil, a pair of actuatinglevers, rotary cams for alternately rocking said actuating-levers, adjustable operative connections intermediate the respective operating levers, and means for presenting needles to said threading implement.

19. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened or grooved needle to said threading implement, and a pair of reciprocally moving parallel jaws adapted to engage and turn said needle to bring its eye into alinement with said threading implement.

20. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened oi grooved needle to said threading implement, and a pair of reciprocally moving parallel jaws adapted to engage and turn said needle to bring its eye into aline ment with said threading implement, said jaws being laterally movable to travel with said needle upon its carrier.

21. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened or grooved needle to said threading implement, and a pair of reciprocally moving levers provided with parallel jaws and mounted upon a movable frame and adapted to engage and turn said needle to bring its eye into alinement with said threading implement.

22. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened or grooved needle to said threading implement, a pair of angle-levers having lateral arms provided with parallel jaws extended in opposite directions and adapted to embrace said needle, and angularly disposed arms, a common reciprocating actuating member, independent pivotal connections intermediate said actuating member and the angularly disposed arms of said angle levers, and means for imparting operative movements to said actuating member.

23. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened or grooved needle to said threading implement, a pair of angle-levers having lateral arms provided with parallel jaws extended in opposite directions and adapted to embrace said needle and angularly disposed arms, a common reciprocating actuating member, independent pivotal connections intermediate said actuating member and the angularly disposed arms of said angle-levers, a common rocking-frame upon which said angle-levers are mounted, pivotal supports for said rocking-frame substantially in alinement with the pivotal connections of the angularly disposed lever arms with their common actuating member, and means for imparting operative movements to said actuating member.

24. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened or grooved needle to said threading implement, a pair of angle-levers having lateral arms provided with parallel jaws extended in opposite directions and adapted to embrace said needle and angu' termining the initial position of said rockingframe, a spring for yieldingly maintaining said rocking-frame in engagement with said stop, and means for imparting operative movements to said actuating member.

25. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, of means for carrying an eyed and flattened or grooved needle to said threading implement, a pair of angledevers having lateral arms provided with parallel jaws extended in opposite directions and adapted to embrace said needle and angularly disposed arms, a common reciprocating actuating member, independent pivotal connections intermediate said actuating member and the angularly disposed arms of said angle-levers, a common rocking-frame upon which said angle-levers are mounted, pivotal supports for said rocking-frame substantially in alinement with the pivotal connections of the angularly disposed lever arms with their common actuating member, an adjustable stop for determining the initial position of said rocking-frame, a spring for yieldingly maintaining said rocking-frame in engagement with said stop, and means for imparting operative movements to said actuating member.

26. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and an intermittingly acting holder therefor, a guide member arranged parallel with said threading implement, and a carrier whereby an eyed needle is propelled to said threading implement while one of its ends is maintained in contact with said guide member.

27. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and an intermittingly acting holder therefor, a guide member arranged parallel with said threading implement, and a carrier adapted for frictional and positive engagement with an eyed needle for propelling the latter transversely of its length to the threading implement and pressing the same lengthwise yieldingly in contact with said guide member.

28. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and an intermittingly acting holder therefor, a guide member arranged parallel with said threading implement, and a pair of rotary parallel supporting feedscrews, with means for rotating the latter to propel eyed needles to said threading implement and frictionally maintain the adjacent ends of the same in contact with said guide member.

2-9. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and an intermittingly acting holder therefor, a carrier for propelling an eyed needle to said threading implement, and a thread-nipping and holding device in alinement with said threading implement and adapted to engage and hold the. thread extending from said threading implement in a direction parallel with the direction of movement of said needle.

30. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement, and an intermittingly acting holder therefor, a carrier for propelling an eyed needle to said threading implement, a thread-nipping and holding device, and a rigid shoulder arranged in alinement with said threading implement and adapted to engage the thre ad led from the threading implement to the thread-nipping and. holding device.

31. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement and holding means therefor, of a pair of parallel rotary supporting screws adapted to propel eyed. needles to said threading implement, a pivotally mounted guard member overhanging said supporting screws and adapted to retain the threaded needles between the convolutions of the latter, and means for lifting. said guard stop for maintaining said guard member separated from but close to said supporting screws, and a spring for maintaining said guard member in contact with said stop.

33. In a needle-threading machine, the combination with a thread-carrying threading implement and holding means therefor, of a pair of parallel rotary supporting screws adapted to propel eyed needles to said threading implement, a pivotally mounted intermittingly acting clamping-j aws adapted guard member overhanging said supporting screws and adapted to retain the threaded needles between the convolutions of the latter, a stop for maintaining said guard member separated from but close to said supporting screws, an adjusting screw carried by said guard member for engagement with said stop, and a spring for maintaining said adjusting screw in contact with said stop.

34-. A needle-threading machine comprising a thread-carrying threading imple ment, a holder composed of a plurality of to engage different portions of said threading implement, a pair of parallel supporting feed-screws for presenting spaced eyed and grooved or flattened needles to said threading implement, a pair of reciprocally moving turning-jaws having parallel faces adapted to engage opposite sides of said needles for bringing their eyes into alinement with said threading implement, and means for actuating said feed-screws, clamping-jaws and turning-jaws.

35. A needle-threading machine com prising a thread-carrying threading implement, a holder composed of a plurality of intermittingly acting clamping-jaws adapted to engage different portions of said threading implement, a pair of parallel supporting feed-screws for presenting spaced eyed and grooved or flattened needles to said threading implement, a pair of reciprocally moving turning-jaws having parallel faces adapted to engage opposite sides of said needles for bringing their eyes into alinement with said threading implement, an actuating shaft carrying clamp-actuating and turning-jawactuating cams, connections intermediate 1 said shaft and said screws whereby the latter are continuously rotated, operative connections between the clamp-actuating cams and said clamps and operative connections intermediate said turning-jaw-actuating cam' and said turning-jaws whereby the latter are actuated.

36. A needle-threading machine comprising a thread-carrying threading implement, a holder composed of a plurality of intermittingly acting clamping-jaws adapted to engage different portions of said threading implement, a pair of parallel supporting feed-screws for presenting spaced eyed and grooved or flattened needles to said threading implement, a pair of reciprocally moving turningjaws having parallel faces adapted to engage opposite sides of said needles for bringing their eyes into alinement with said threading implement, a rotary needlefeeding drum with operative connections with one of said feed-screws and adapted to deliver needles to said feed-screws spaced correspondingly with the pitch of the latter, an actuating shaft carrying clamp-actuating and turning-jaw-actuating cams, connections intermediate said shaft and said screws whereby the latter are continuously rotated, operative connections between the clamp-actuating cams and said clamps and operative connections intermediate said turning-jaW-actuating cam and said turningjaws whereby the latter are actuated.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT EDWIN NOON.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. MILLER, H. A. KORNEMANN. 

